DVTI Is in the House!

Beth Arman, Ph.D. – Vice Chair, DVTI

The East Bay is in the spotlight—and the Diablo Valley Tech Initiative (DVTI) is too. Earlier this month, I attended the Startup World Cup – East Bay Regional competition at Cal State East Bay’s Hayward campus. This event, sponsored by Pegasus Tech Ventures, features over 100 regional competitions across the world, culminating in a semi-final and final round in San Francisco, where startups compete for a $1 million grand prize.

Historically, regional competitions have been held in Silicon Valley and San Francisco, but this year, the East Bay hosted its own. This milestone is thanks to the vision and leadership of Dr. Nancy Mangold, professor at CSUEB and director of the East Bay Small Business Development Center, who championed the idea and made it happen.

The turnout was impressive. Out of 140 applicants, 10 startups were selected to pitch—and the majority were from our region. The plenary room buzzed with energy and optimism. Between pitch sessions, a panel discussion featured representatives from organizations that support startups and small businesses in the East Bay:

·      the U.S. Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov;

·      California Office of the Small Business Advocate, CALOSBA, www.calosba.ca.gov;

·      CSU East Bay, www.csueb.edu;

·      the Northern California (NorCal) Small Business Development Center, www.norcalsbdc.org;

·      City of Hayward, www.hayward-ca.gov;

·      Activate Berkeley, www.activate.org/berkeley;

·      Berkeley Startup Cluster; www.berkeleystartupcluster.com;

·      Startup Tri-Valley, www.startuptrivalley.org; and…

·      The Diablo Valley Tech Initiative (DVTI), www.dvti.org!

It was a proud moment to see DVTI Chair Jags Krishnamurthy on stage, representing our organization among these well-established players. DVTI is still growing—smaller and newer than many of the others—but Jags brought a unique and essential perspective. As the only entrepreneur on the panel, he spoke candidly about the emotional realities of starting a business: the isolation, the uncertainty, and the need for connection.

While funding and incubator space are critical, so too is the opportunity to build relationships with fellow entrepreneurs—people who understand the journey, can offer advice, and become collaborators, customers, or suppliers. DVTI is committed to fostering those connections, and as we grow, we hope to expand our support even further.

The Startup World Cup East Bay Regional was more than a competition—it was a celebration of the region’s innovation, resilience, and community spirit. The East Bay is ready, and DVTI is honored to be part of the story.